The present invention generally relates to a circuit fault detector and nightlight combination, and more specifically, to an appliance leakage current interrupter and nightlight combination.
An appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI) is an electrical fault device that is intended to interrupt the electrical circuit to a load when a fault current to ground exceeds some predetermined value that is less than the current required to operate an overcurrent protection device protecting the supply circuit. ALCI devices are typically provided in an integral assembly as part of an appliance cord set. For example, an appliance such as a hairdryer has a permanently attached cord with a plug on the end and the plug includes an integrally mounted ALCI or GFI circuit for the user's protection. One basic, integrally mounted ALCI circuit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,199 of Aromin.
Other integrally mounted fault detector circuits provided in cord sets also include an indicator lamp or light emitting diode (LED) which turns on when a fault condition has occurred and the circuit has been tripped by the fault detector circuit. U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,955 of Wiliner discloses a miniature circuit interrupter formed within a plug and having an LED which lights to indicate a ground fault condition.
A nightlight is a small lamp or other illumination device that is left on overnight to provide low level illumination for children or people not familiar with the area for example. Some nightlights are formed as a single, self-supporting unit that can be plugged directly into a conventional wall receptacle without a cord or the need to place the nightlight on a surface. One such nightlight is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,647 B1 of Shaefer which also discloses additional features of such a self-supporting nightlight.
What is needed but not provided by the prior art is an fault detector plug and nightlight combination. Further, what is needed but not provided by the prior art is an ALCI plug set for an appliance and integrally mounted nightlight combination.